


(Not So) Sweet Sixteen

by Tanista



Series: Domestic Adventures [15]
Category: MacGyver (TV 1985), MacGyver (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Birthday, Car Accident, Domestic Adventures, Emergency Rooms, Family, First Kiss, Gen, Going out with friends, Minor Original Character(s), Original Character(s), Teenagers, Uncle-Niece Relationship, injuries
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-25
Updated: 2017-08-25
Packaged: 2018-12-19 17:23:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 11,573
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11902536
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tanista/pseuds/Tanista
Summary: Becky's birthday night on the town with friends turns into an evening of excitement and danger.





	1. You Say It's Your Birthday?

\--February 22, 1988--

Becky suddenly awoke to music, blearily staring at the clock radio as it played a rock'n'roll song. _Weird,_ she thought. _I could've sworn I set it to the soft-rock station, not the one that plays the much louder stuff._

"That was the Beatles' Happy Birthday Song, by request from Jack Dalton to his good friend Becky. Hope you have a great one, kiddo. And we wish you the same here at KOST-FM. The time is six-thirty, we'll be back after a quick commercial break..."

The teenager groaned and turned onto her side, eyes widening at the small bouquet resting on the pillow beside her. She raised herself and picked it up, sniffing at their delicate scent and marveling at the idea of such flowers blooming in the middle of winter. Only in Southern California.

Then she noticed the card that had lain hidden beneath the bouquet, reaching for her glasses and reading the familiar handwriting:

_For the Birthday Girl_

_Hope you enjoy your special day!_

_Love, Mac_

She smiled. Her uncle may not like a lot of fuss over his own birthdays, but he knew she enjoyed celebrating hers. They were still learning how to take care of each other in their changed relationship, showing their support and affection in ways large and small.

Like a bouquet of flowers on her birthday.

In two hours' time- at 8:30- she would be officially be turning sixteen. It was supposed to be a landmark age of sorts for a girl, one that would always be remembered. Sweet sixteen and all that.

Then again, it was just another birthday. Another year older, and eighteen months since she lost her parents and brother.

She abruptly shook her head, clearing the depressing thought away. Nothing was going to spoil her enjoyment of the day, much less the evening to come with her friends. Nothing.

The commercials on the radio finished and the music resumed playing. She stood up from the bed and stretched her petite form, then headed for the bathroom.

Time to get the day started.

* * * *

Thirty-five minutes later Becky- showered and dressed in her most favorite clothes and jewelry- stumbled her way down the stairs, still not fully awake. She entered the kitchen, finding MacGyver leaning back in his chair, feet propped up on the table and perusing the newspaper. "Morning, Unc. Thanks for the flowers."

He looked up and smiled warmly. "Morning, Beck. You're welcome. Sleep well?"

"Well enough. Too bad today's a school day, though. Would've loved to sleep in."

Mac shook his head, chuckling. "Why am I not surprised? Go and get yourself something to eat, already."

She assembled her breakfast and carried it to the table. She blinked at the small stack of brightly wrapped packages and cards that had mysteriously appeared at her place while her back was turned. "Are those for me?"

He looked over at her, raising his eyebrows, dark gaze twinkling with mischief. "What do you think? Anyone else we know who deserves presents today?" Becky rolled her eyes and he grinned broadly, leaning over to hug her and kiss her forehead.

"Happy birthday, sweetheart," he murmured as he pulled back, gently playing with a loose strand of hair. "You're sixteen already. Can't believe my little princess is growing up so fast."

She ducked her head. "Thanks, Unc." To hide her blush she pulled the gifts toward her. When she was finished opening everything she ended up with several books and CDs, a gift certificate from Pete for her favorite bookstore in town, and a beautiful card from Harry as well as others from Mac's friends.

"Quite the haul, huh?"

"Sure is." She reached over to return the hug and kiss. "Hey, it's okay, isn't it, that my friends are coming over after school and taking me out tonight? I know we spent my birthday together last year, but this time they insisted. I hope you're not disappointed."

"Becky, don't worry about it. You know it's perfectly fine with me; I'm really glad you've got friends who want to celebrate with you. That just means we get to spend all of Saturday together, and I've got big plans for the two of us."

"Oh? Care to share them with me?"

"Sorry, Beck. Top secret." He winked and Becky chuckled. "I promise I'll stay out of the way tonight. Nikki's coming over with some files we have to review for Monday and we'll work on them in the guest room. It's no problem. You won't even know we're here."

"Well, I just wanted to remind you they're coming over. I'm not kicking you out or anything." She grinned. "I know several of my friends want to see you, anyway. For some reason they think you're a hunk."

"A what?"

"You know, good-looking. Gorgeous. Even sexy, in a way."

His eyebrows rose. "Who, me? A hunk? Sexy? I don't get it."

"Yeah, me neither. Go figure. I mean, you're from my _parents'_ generation, for crying out loud. You're practically ancient." He threw her a glare and she held her hands up in defense. "Kidding."

MacGyver shook his head and pushed her plate back towards her. "Finish your breakfast already, why don't you? You gotta get to school, birthday girl."

* * * *

It wasn't until four in the afternoon when Becky and her best friend Katie finally stumbled through the front door of the apartment- slamming it shut behind them- and made their way over to the kitchen, each one carrying two full brown paper bags from the nearby supermarket. "Remind me why we volunteered to get the munchies for this party?" the redhead muttered as she dumped her bags on a nearby counter.

Becky set he own bags down and went into the living room to check for messages on the answering machine. "Nothing new, so I guess Uncle Mac wasn't roped in for any emergency assignments. He promised he'd call if anything had changed."

"So it's still just you and your uncle?" Katie asked, following her and looking around. There was a couch, coffee table and a large comfortable armchair, along with the television, VCR and stereo system. The wall behind the couch was full of shelves holding books, records and CDs, magazines and interesting items from around the world. Sports posters, family photos and a few of Mac's paintings from his art classes lined the free walls that remained. "He doesn't have any girlfriends, does he?"

"Nah. Unc's been too busy for that sort of thing. He travels a lot, you know, does a lot of stuff. There's a friend of ours at his work- you'll meet her tonight- and she's great, but so far there's been nothing between them. They do seem to yell at each other a lot, though."

"Well, you know what that means," Katie remarked. "Romantic tension. Just like the male and female leads who bicker all the time in the movies or on TV. They're obviously fighting a strong attraction to each other. It's only a matter of time before they get together."

"Come help me get the snacks sorted." They returned to the kitchen and began to unpack the bags. An assortment of junk food soon sprawled along the counters.

Becky reached into the broom closet for a stepstool and collected serving bowls from the upper cupboards. "I hope you're right. She would make a terrific aunt, but so far they can't see beyond each other's bullheadedness. I'm trying to trick them to realize they really have feelings for each other, but so far it's not working."

"Grown-ups," Katie sighed dramatically as she stowed cans of soda pop in the refrigerator, then grinned. "Like I said, only a matter of time. Keep chipping away at them, Beck. You'll get there."

"How's everyone getting here?"

"Donnie's giving Callie, Marya and Luke a ride in the car she got last month for her birthday. She needs the practice, so she's taking all of us. Unfortunately, Stacey's mom won't let her go since her brother has a violin recital tonight."

"That's too bad."

"Yeah, it is. Hey, why don't we go up to your room? The guys won't be here for another half hour, at least."

"Sure. You haven't been here in a while, right? Let me refresh your memory on the way." Becky led the way, with the redhead following.

"The kitchen and living room you've just been in. The bathroom on this floor and the one upstairs are self-explanatory. We got three bedrooms; the one downstairs we use as a guest room, but it's also the office and workroom since it has the computer and Mac's lab equipment. He and Nikki will be in there tonight, keeping out of the way unless they're needed to act as chaperones. His bedroom is upstairs- definitely off limits, by the way, in case anyone gets any ideas- and so is mine." By that time they had reached her room; she held open the door and ushered Katie in.

"Hey, I forgot you have a skylight. Cool," she said. "I like your bed, too. The black metal with all the curves is kinda romantic-looking. And you got a ton of books up here; I love that."

"Yeah. It's getting pretty comfy." They headed straight for the bed and flopped down on it, looking up at the cloudy sky showing through the glass. "Would you believe we only finished unpacking everything from the very last moving box a week ago? A year and a half; that's how long it took to get all our stuff sorted, we've both been so busy."

The redhead propped herself up on an elbow, looking down at her. "You lost your folks about then, right?"

"Yeah. I still miss them. I mean, I love living with my uncle and everything, but..." She shrugged.

"Sorry about that." The two friends were silent a while, contemplating the clouds. "Think it's gonna rain tonight when we go out?"

"God, I hope not."

"So what do we do now?"

Becky frowned briefly in thought. "Why don't we go back downstairs and watch one of the videos we rented."

"Sounds great to me."

* * * *

The sound of the front door being unlocked an hour later pulled their attention out of the movie. Katie looked up from where she was lounging on the couch. "Is that the rest of the guys?"

"Don't know. I'll go check," Becky said, uncurling herself from her place in the armchair. Before she could reach the entrance hallway MacGyver stepped inside the room, with Nikki following close behind him. Both carried heavy briefcases that, she surmised, were full of the files they intended to review.

"Hey, Uncle Mac," she said, walking over to kiss him on the cheek.

He returned the kiss and beamed down at her. "Hey, sweetheart. Havin' a good day so far?"

"Pretty good. How was work?"

"Slow, lots of paperwork. Pete and everyone wanted us to give you their best wishes for today."

"Great. Hi, Nikki."

"Hi, Becky. Happy birthday."

"Thanks. Katie, you remember my uncle, right? This is Nikki Carpenter, who works with him at the Phoenix Foundation. Guys, this is my friend, Katie Lynch."

Katie stood up and mover over to the adults, shaking their hands. "Nice to meet you, ma'am. And nice to see you again too, Mr. MacGyver."

"Same here, Katie. And please, it's just MacGyver."

"Nikki's fine too." She turned to Becky and handed her a small wrapped box. "Here, I got you a little present."

"Thanks, but you know you didn't have to." She accepted the gift, tearing open the brightly patterned paper; she opened the box and gasped, pulling out a pendant in pale brushed silver, molded in the shape of a bird's nest with a purple freshwater pearl set in the center as an egg. The chain was of the same pale brushed silver. "It's beautiful. I love it. You know, I've got some bird earrings upstairs that are the same shade of metal; now I know what to wear with them. Thank you so much."

"You're welcome," Nikki said, leaning in for a hug. She looked up at Mac. "Told you she'd like it." He shrugged helplessly and Becky laughed.

"Don't worry, Unc," she informed him. "If you're ever stuck for a gift for me just get me either books, music or jewelry and I guarantee I'll be happy."

He grinned. "Whatever you say, Beck. C'mon Nikki, let's take these files in the guest room and get to work, okay? Have a good party, guys."

After they left Katie's eyebrows shot up and she turned to Becky. "That's her, right? The one who fights with him a lot? You're right; they'd make a great couple."

"Yeah. I guess we'll just have to wait and see." The doorbell rang. "Sounds like the gang's here. Let's see if Donnie managed to follow my directions."

* * * *

MacGyver slowly opened the door and poked his head out. There was a short hallway separating the guest room and bathroom from the rest of the first floor; from his vantage point he could cautiously observe the teenagers moving between the kitchen and living room, stuffing their faces, draping themselves over every piece of furniture, and chatting over the loud music playing on the stereo.

He shook his head at the irony. It was one thing to work with teens at the Challengers Club, encouraging them and helping them make the most of their lives. Quite another for a crowd of them- including his own niece, right in their midst- to be occupying his home, even if it was only for a few hours.

Nikki looked up from her place at the computer desk, files spread out around her. "Penny for your thoughts."

He grinned over at her. "You know, it wasn't all that long ago I was living a carefree bachelor life, and now I'm worrying about how much of a mess these kids are gonna leave behind once they go."

"I can imagine that being a guardian of a teenage girl must take some getting used to."

He closed the door and returned back to his seat. "Tell me about it. But really, you know what Becky's like. I love having her around and she works hard at taking care of things when I'm away. And I'm glad she's made new friends here. It's just that sometimes I still think of her as a shy little girl, you know? Hair in braids and snuggling in my lap while I visited with her folks." He sighed. "Man, I miss Allison."

"What were you and you sister like, growing up?"

He shrugged. "The usual. We had some pretty spectacular fights but deep down we loved each other. Usually I was the one always gettin' into trouble while she stayed behind to pick up the pieces, but there was one birthday my sister had with her friends when we were teenagers. Turned out quite the fiasco for the both of us."

"I'm almost afraid to ask what happened."

He leaned back in the swivel chair, crossing his long legs. "It was in '65. We were both in high school and the Beatles were doing a concert in Minneapolis. Allison and her friends wanted to go for her birthday but Mom and Harry worried about the crowds and the heat and wouldn't let her go. So she told them she was staying overnight at a friend's house instead and secretly wrangled me and a friend's older brother into going with them to the concert."

"But she was older than you, right? You told me once she was the more sensible of you two."

"Yeah, but not when it came to the Beatles. She was a big fan, had a crush on Paul McCartney and everything. And Allie was pretty stubborn in some ways; she would've come up with an ingenious scheme to see him no matter what."

"Sounds oddly familiar somehow," Nikki commented with a smile.

MacGyver rolled his eyes but continued. "The concert itself was a madhouse. You know how popular the Beatles were back then. So picture it, an August night in Minnesota, hot and humid. The stadium filled with screaming girls, which included my sister and her friends. I was trapped all four sides with no escape in sight.

"Then it got worse. One of Allie's friends fainted. She was screaming right along with the rest of them and wound up passing out from all the excitement. Landed right against me. So there I was, tryin' to keep her upright while her brother went to search for something to wake her up with. A bunch of screaming girls pushing from all sides, loud music, and dead weight in my arms."

Nikki burst into laughter. "God Mac, that must have been a nightmare for you!"

"It was. You can believe how much I wanted to be camping out in the woods with Harry right then. Fortunately her brother came back with smelling salts, and we got her conscious and moving. Then we corralled Allison and the rest of her friends and left the stadium. Took us all night to drive back to Mission City."

"Did you get into trouble when you got home?"

"You bet. Man, did Mom and Harry let us have it. Turns out they had called her friends' parents, and knew the whole time where we went. All of us were grounded for a month."

There was a gentle knock on the door and Becky poked her head in. "Hi, Unc. Just wanted to let you know we're leaving now."

"Okay," Mac said. "Have fun. But be careful, and don't get back too late. Love you."

"I promise. Love you too." She left, but a second later she was back. "Oh, I almost forgot. We, um, kinda had a little food fight earlier. We cleaned it up, but the living room still smells like potato chips. Katie says it should go a away in a few hours, though. See you later."

He groaned and turned to Nikki when Becky had left. "Why do I have the gut feeling there's going to be trouble before this night is over?"

She laughed again. "Welcome to parenthood, Mac."

 


	2. Everybody Have Fun Tonight

"So where exactly is this place again?" Becky asked as they headed out to Donnie's new car.

"It's just north of downtown," she said. "The area's kind of seedy but the club is really hot, and they're having a teen night. No alcohol." She walked to the driver's seat and pulled open the door. "Okay guys, find your seats! First come, first serve, or else one of you is going in the trunk!"

The others dashed for seats. Katie took the passenger side in the front, while Becky ended up between Luke and Marya in the back. Callie reluctantly agreed to climb back into the trunk. When everyone was secure Donnie started the car and pulled out onto the street, eventually turning east onto Santa Monica Boulevard.

It was a Friday night so naturally the city was busy. People were heading out for the night, seeking the entertainment of their choice to take their mind off their troubles. But away from the bright lights the teens glimpsed shadowed alleyways where the homeless resided, or furtive drug deals took place.

"Who in their right mind would open a club in this part of town? I hope no one steals the car," Callie said as they walked towards the warehouse building where the club was located.

"Yeah, I really don't want to be stuck here," Katie added. Donnie just sighed and walked faster, leaving the others to catch up with her.

Becky stayed behind with Luke and Marya, easily matching their long-legged strides thanks to her hikes in the mountains with MacGyver. "I don't think it's going anywhere. Can't say the same for the tires, however," she quipped.

"The amount of alarms she's got programmed in there should be enough to terrify any would-be burglars," Marya agreed.

Inside the club was full of loud music, gyrating bodies, and flashing lights. Becky felt a headache coming on as she began to cough on the smoke, smelling cigarettes and something she figured was marijuana. _Oh great,_ she thought. _Unc's gonna kill me when he smells this on my clothes. Hope he'll be asleep when I get back home._

Their progress was slowed as they skirted the dance floor. Becky was bumped by someone who was pushing their way through and Luke's hand grasped her arm as she stumbled.

He looked down at her in concern. "You all right?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Thanks." He kept his hand on her elbow, steadying and guiding her through the crush until the six were able to find a free table near the back of the club.

Katie waved a hand in front of her face to clear away the smoke. "Well if nobody here can drink they certainly have other vices to choose from," she said dryly.

"Are you sure this was a good idea?" Callie nervously glanced at a tattooed punk who was staring at them.

"Look, it's just an experiment," Donnie said. "If it doesn't work then we'll leave and find somewhere else to go."

"Sounds good," Katie said with a grin. "Now who wants to dance?"

"Not me," Becky said.

Donnie frowned. "Why not?"

"Because I can't. I'm left-handed and I got two left feet."

"Me, too," Luke admitted. "I'm pretty awful. I'll stay with Becky."

Katie turned to Marya. "What about you?"

She shrugged. "Sure, I'll give it a shot."

"That's good enough for me," Donnie said. Katie and Callie followed them onto the dance floor.

Luke turned to Becky. "Why don't you get out there with the rest of them?"

"Like I said, I can't dance. I'm too clumsy, people would laugh." She felt her cheeks flushing with the revelation.

He shrugged. "It's your birthday though, don't you want to give it a try?"

"Not if it means making a fool of myself."

"Not even slow dancing? It's easy. All you really have to do is sway back and forth. Let's try it."

"Here? Are you kidding?"

"No, I'm not," Luke said, turning to her and holding out his hand. "C'mon, dance with me."

Becky regarded his blue eyes, floppy blond hair and charming dimples. There was something about him that reminded her of her uncle; she felt she could trust him. "You're nuts," she laughed, but put her hand in his anyway.

"Yeah, I know," Luke said, pulling her close.

The loud, pounding beat of the music provided an odd background for the slow dance. Becky had to crane her neck up to look at him, he was so much taller than she was. It reminded her of how she felt when Mac was holding her, so warm and protected in his arms. She wondered if he and Nikki had ever danced together in such a way.

She had just rested her cheek against Luke's leather jacket- enjoying the feel of his arms around her and the steady beat of his heart- when suddenly the doors to the club burst open and cops in riot gear came swarming in.

"Police! This is a raid!" Panic immediately broke out.

"Unbelievable," Becky muttered under her breath.

"Let's get the hell out of here," Luke said. They let go of each other, but soon after he grabbed onto her hand, guiding her as they slowly made their way through the jostling crowd.

He paused a moment and looked around, trying to locate the others. "I can't see them anywhere."

Becky spied Marya- her towering height and long blonde tresses apparent even at that distance- and the others near the entrance. "There they are."

Donnie nodded to them once everyone was together. "What the hell's going on?"

"I'm not sure," Callie said, "but I think I heard someone mention drugs."

"Oh, great," Katie muttered. "Let's get out of here before our parents have to bail us out of jail in the morning. My dad's really gonna love that."

The chaos provided the perfect means for them to slip out unnoticed past the cops stationed at the door. As soon as they arrived at the car everyone silently piled in; the vehicle sped away and no one looked back.

* * * *

Nikki wrinkled her nose at the lingering odor of potato chips that pervaded the living room as she relaxed on the couch a few hours later, every last file reviewed and sorted. Sitting on the opposite end the troubleshooter shifted uncomfortably in his seat while they watched the eleven o'clock news, checking the time occasionally and frowning. "MacGyver, calm down. You'll drive yourself crazy if you keep doing that."

He offered her an apologetic smile. "Sorry, Nikki. Guess I'm a bit worried about Becky. You think she's having fun with her friends? That they're not getting into trouble?"

"I'm sure there's nothing to be concerned about. You know she can take care of herself."

"Yeah, I do. Still can't shake the feeling that something bad's gonna happen to her, though." He leaned his head onto the back of the couch and sighed heavily, running a hand through his unruly brown hair. "Comes with the territory, I guess. You know what's really weird?"

"What?"

"My niece is turning sixteen today. I'm only thirty-seven, yet somehow I feel a lot older. I never expected this, you know, never thought I'd become legally responsible for someone else, to make a commitment to care for her." He frowned slightly. "Never thought I'd worry this much when she went out with friends, either."

"I think you're lucky to have her. Adam and I were too busy working in D.C. to even talk about raising kids. Then the bomb went off and it was too late..." Her voice trailed off and she shrugged helplessly. Mac reached over and rubbed Nikki's arm sympathetically, remembering her revelation during last year's post office bombing scare and his really bad head cold.

"Maybe it's just something that happens with having kids," she continued. "No matter what happens, you can't stop worrying about them. Probably how our parents felt about us, when we were growing up."

"So you're sayin' I'm supposed to be feeling this way?"

"I think you are, Mac."

"You're probably right." The corner of his mouth turned up in a wry grin. "Nice to know I can do _something_ that's normal, huh?"

* * * *

"Are we there yet?"

"Shut up, guys."

After searching for other places to go- every last one of which long closed by the time they got there- the group decided it wasn't worth the trouble and decided to drive up into the mountains to hang out. A couple of hours later they ended up in the parking lot of an all-hours convenience store with a map spread out over the hood of the car.

"I think we're here," Donnie said, jabbing with the spoon from her frozen yogurt.

"And where is here?" Luke asked, leaning over the map.

"Fernwood. Somewhere in the Topanga Canyon, I think."

Becky sighed and walked over to lean against the side of the car, munching on a cookie. "How on earth did we wind up so far from town?"

Donnie glared at her. "If that's your way of complaining about my sense of direction, Grahme, then keep any further comments to yourself."

Becky held up her hands in apology. "Sorry."

Katie joined her, finishing her own snack. "Man, she's uptight. Some way to spend your birthday, huh?"

"It's definitely one I'll remember for a while. First time I've ever spent most of my birthday party in a car, anyway." She shivered slightly, the night was cool for the end of February. "I'm just wondering what happens now."

"Hey Donnie!" Katie called out.

"Yeah?"

"About how long would it take to get home from here?"

"Optimistic guess, about an hour. That's assuming absolutely nothing goes wrong, or we don't get lost again."

Becky rolled her eyes. "That's it. Let's get outta here. If we're lucky we'll be home by midnight and our folks won't ground us all for a week."

They climbed back into the car and drove out of the parking lot. The route they decided to take led them along a road somewhere deep in the Santa Monica Mountains- complete with forest on each side flanked by tall cliffs, the trees kept only from growing out onto the road by a metal guard rail and a solitary streetlight every few hundred feet.

Sitting on the right side of the car instead of in the middle, Becky sighed and rested her head against the window, feeling the coolness of the glass on her hair. She looked up at the winter sky and remembered the last overnight stargazing trip she and Mac took the previous summer, in the very same mountains. The stars were so different then...

"Not the birthday you expected, huh?"

Luke's voice in her ear startled her out of her thoughts; she leaned back against the seat, turning her head up to meet his gaze. "Definitely not. But I don't think I'll forget this night anytime soon, in any case."

He smiled and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. With a sigh of contentment Becky leaned into him, feeling her eyes slowly close.

Just as she was about to drift off to sleep she heard Marya say, "That car behind us is coming awfully close."

Katie twisted around in the front seat to look over them. "You're right. Donnie, do something."

"Like what? I can't speed up; too dark to see where I'm going beyond the headlights and too many twists and turns in the road."

Becky turned her head around, squinting at the bright pair of headlights through the back window. The car seemed to be approaching at an alarming speed. She dug her fingernails into Luke's arm. "I have a bad feeling about this," she muttered.

Suddenly there was the screeching whine of metal on metal and everyone screamed. The car lurched forward, then there was a sharp drop downwards.

Then darkness.


	3. It's My Party

MacGyver suddenly straightened in his seat, dark eyes darting all around the room in confusion. "What the heck?"

"What is it?" Nikki asked.

He stood up and walked quickly to the window, pulling the curtains back to reveal the darkened street in front of the apartment, quiet and peaceful except for a stray cat darting along the sidewalk.

"Mac, what's going on?"

"Don't know. I just had a feeling about Becky."

"You think something's wrong?"

He stared at her, then back out at the street. He finally turned away from the window and shrugged. "Not sure, Nikki. Maybe it's my imagination."

* * * *

Consciousness returned slowly. All she could remember was a screech of metal, loud crunching sounds, breaking glass...

"Becky!"

She gasped sharply and her eyes popped open only to see Luke's blue eyes extremely close to hers.

Then she remembered the car coming up fast behind them, knocking them straight into a ditch. That accounted for the steep angle of the seat, she thought. It was a matter of sheer luck that they managed not to crash into a tree.

"Come on, Becky. Stay with me, now. You okay?" She gingerly turned her head and saw Luke staring at her, his body was leaning heavily against hers, pressing her against the door in an awkward position.

"I think so." She felt a sticky liquid dripping down over her eye; it took her a minute to realize it was blood, coming from a very large gash on the side of her forehead. She started raising her right arm to wipe the blood out of her eyes but a sharp pain lanced through her body at the movement and she whimpered.

"You all right?"

"My wrist. I think something happened to it," she gasped, wincing at the jabs shooting through her arm. "How about you?"

Luke reached up, gently lifted away her glasses- which fortunately seemed to be intact- and tried to wipe as much blood out of her eyes as possible. "I'm good, though my left arm's throbbing a bit. You got anything else broken?"

She tried moving the rest of her body. "I don't think so."

There was a rattling sound in the front seat. "Is everyone okay?" Donnie said in a weak voice.

"Define okay," Marya groaned.

"I'm still in one piece, more or less," supplied Callie.

Becky stretched her neck, trying to see the others but without much success. "How about you, Donnie?"

"The airbag deployed. It's a little hard to breathe at this angle. I think I'll be fine once we get out of here, though."

"What happened back there?" Katie demanded. "We're in the middle of nowhere. Where the hell did that car come from?"

"Yeah, Donnie," Marya added. "How come you didn't see him? Were you daydreaming, or something?"

"Hey, what was I supposed to do? I just got my permit a few months ago. I don't recall asking you to be back seat driver, Aidell."

Becky sighed; the argument was getting them nowhere. "C'mon guys, enough with the blame already. Everyone calm down. Now that we've established we're all alive are there any objections to getting out of the car?"

There was a chorus of groans and mutters of "No."

"You first, Donnie."

"Got it." She unbuckled her seatbelt and pushed the driver's door open, which made an unnaturally loud creak. "That doesn't sound good," she muttered. She slid awkwardly onto the slanted ground, crying out briefly in pain. "Guys, I think my ankle's sprained."

Katie wedged her own battered door open and hopped out, keeping her hurt elbow bent close to her body. Marya managed to unlock her side with her one good arm and Luke soon followed. As she joined them Becky stole a quick glance back at her seat, noting with a turn in her stomach that the blood staining the opposite window was probably her own.

Once they were out they slowly went around to the back of the car to try and pry open the hatch to get Callie out, since her leg was in such an injured state she couldn't even crawl over the other seats. "How do we get her out of there?" Katie wondered.

Becky considered what MacGyver would do in such a situation. "Let's find some sturdy branches. Four of us still have one good arm apiece, maybe we can pry the hatch open." They searched the nearby trees and found what they needed; working together they were able to pull apart the almost-crumpled metal. Callie slid to the edge, keeping herself away from the rougher edges. "Donnie, do you have an emergency kit? Let's see what we can use for our injuries."

"Sure do. It was my parents' idea. It's that blue box over there," Donnie said, pointing into the car. Katie reached in and grabbed it.

The four managed to support Donnie and Callie enough to struggle up the side of the ditch, past the wrecked guard rail and onto the soft shoulder. They sat down together, leaning heavily on each other.

Katie looked at them and laughed. "What a group we are, all busted up. Our parents wouldn't even recognize us. You know, if we had stayed at that club this is what we'd probably look like by now anyway."

"Minus the jail time," Donnie quipped. A chorus of tired chuckles followed.

Callie cracked open the box and pulled out a small lantern, turning on its battery-powered light. "There are bandages, both adhesive and rolled fabric. Also scissors and the like. Now what?"

"We all passed the First Aid course in health class last semester, remember? We can bandage some things with the fabric," Becky said. "Maybe make a few slings. Callie, you do the cutting and wrapping. Who wants to go first?"

Luke raised his hand. "I will. I think mine's easiest." He walked over to where Callie sat, gingerly stripping off one side of his jacket. He only winced a little as she wrapped up the arm. "What about yours, Marya?" he asked, looking at his sister; she was clutching her left arm close to her body, gritting her teeth at the pain.

"I don't know," Marya said. "It just really hurts. Maybe a sling would help." She moved over to Callie.

Katie looked over at Becky. "What about you? You said your wrist was broken."

She stared down at the wrist that was resting at an odd angle against her stomach. "Yeah, it hurts. Better wrap it up."

"We're already running low on bandages," Callie noted.

"Then use my shirt, it'll make a better sling anyway. Even though I'm going to freeze without it." She grimaced. "I hate being cold."

"Your wrist has to be taken care of," Katie said. "That's more important than getting goosebumps."

Callie took up the scissors and started slicing through the blue blouse, leaving her camisole intact. When it was all cut off Becky's wrist and arm were tightly bound to her torso and she shivered in the cool air.

Marya muttered a curse from off to one side, and stared disgustedly down at an electronic device in her hands. "Damn cell phone; our folks gave it to us to use in emergencies like this. But we're in a dead zone, I can't get through to 911."

Luke took the phone from her. "I can walk. I'll go down the road a ways, see if I can get better reception."

"By yourself?" she asked incredulously.

"Why not?"

"Not a chance!" Donnie called out from where she was bandaging up her own swollen ankle. "We don't need anyone alone out there getting lost on top of this."

"Let me go with you, Luke," Becky suggested.

"With a busted arm? Are you crazy?"

"Your sister's still in pain, Donnie and Callie can't walk, and Katie hasn't been bandaged up yet. What choice have we got?"

He sighed. "Yeah, sure, whatever."

"Take this with you," Donnie said, tossing them a flashlight from the emergency kit.

"Thanks," Becky caught it with her good hand, wincing at the impact. "C'mon Luke, let's get going."

* * * *

They used the flashlight to guide their way to the next streetlight, some twenty minutes later. "Let me try here." He hit the redial button, holding the phone to his ear; a few seconds later he groaned and dropped it back to his side. "Still no signal."

Five streetlights and an hour later nothing had changed. Luke was ready to toss the cell phone into the trees. "Let's trade off," Becky suggested, using the flashlight to look back down the road.

She tried to figure out exactly how far they had come. Two miles, maybe? Five? She couldn't tell in the darkness; the tall cliffs on either side of the trees blocked out any glow from the city lights.

"Here you go," Luke said, handing her the cell phone for the flashlight. "Let's try the next light." She heard his footsteps trailing along behind her.

On the darkest part of the road Luke suddenly stopped. "Hey, wait a sec."

"What is it?" Becky said, starting to turn around.

"No, don't do that. Stay right where you are." She heard his footsteps coming close and saw the light from the flashlight bobbing ahead of her on the asphalt, then felt his hand coming up to gently push her hair to one side. "You've got a pretty nasty cut back here," he said softly.

She twisted her neck around to look at him then hissed in pain, feeling it course through her neck, back, and shoulder. "I didn't feel that before."

He ran his fingers over the skin right below the cut. "It looks pretty bad, you're bleeding all the way down your back."

His touch sent shivers down her spine; she took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Well, we're too far away from Callie and the others to do anything about it now." Blood from the cut on her forehead dripped down onto her glasses and she felt a rush of dizziness; she hoped she wasn't about to pass out from blood loss. "Come on. Might as well keep going."

Luke remained where he was, his hand lingering on her skin and moving around to where it finally came to rest on her shoulder, trailing her blood in its wake. She squinted at the sudden gleam of the flashlight in her eyes. "What's wrong now?"

"Nothing. That was amazing, the way you suddenly took charge there for a while," he said, smiling down at her. "How did you know to say all that?"

"Oh, you know. I just wondered what Uncle Mac would do, and it sort of came to me." She shrugged. "Nothing special. Anyone else would've done the same, I'm sure."

"You're not like anyone else, Becky." Luke said it softly, his eyes searching her face. "Like nobody else I know. You're a very special girl."

Her gaze dropped from his, inexplicably embarrassed, then she felt a finger lift her chin, tilting her head up until his mouth gently covered hers in a kiss. His hand tenderly cupped her bruised cheek as he pulled away and stood looking at her, then brushed her other cheek with his lips.

She was utterly speechless. Her first kiss from a boy ever, and it had to happen when she was injured and unable to respond. She stood there in the darkness, blinking, still feeling Luke's hand on her face, his lips on hers.

"Becky. Earth to Becky. Hey, you going into shock or something?"

"Huh?" She shook herself and looked up at him. "Yeah, I think so." She pulled away, shivering. "I'm cold."

With a chuckle he pulled off his jacket, draping it around her shoulders. "Here you go." He led her over to sit on the guard rail on the side of the road. "Why don't we rest for a while before moving on?"

"Sure." She wiped her brow, blinking at the bright red blood staining her hand, then down at the cellphone in her lap. "Might as well give it another shot." She hit the redial button and held it up to her ear. "Hey, it's ringing!"

"911, what is your emergency?" a male voice asked. Becky sighed in relief.

"Yeah, we...we need an ambulance. Or two." She paused, suddenly at a loss for what to say. Luke slid closer to listen to the call and she tilted the phone slightly towards him.

"Can you tell me what happened?"

"My friends and I were in a car accident, someone ran us off the road," she said breathlessly.

"Relax," the operator said, his voice a pleasant warm baritone. "Take a deep breath and calm down. Can you do that?"

"Yeah," Becky said, taking another shuddering breath, willing her racing heart to slow. "Okay, I'm better now."

"Good. Is anyone seriously injured? How about you?"

"I don't think so. No one's bleeding to death, anyway. I think my right wrist is broken. I also got some bad cuts."

"What about your friends? How many are there? What is the nature of their injuries?"

"There are six of us. Some cuts and broken bones. We made some bandages and slings from the first-aid kit."

"That's very good," the operator soothed. "Now tell me your location."

Becky looked over at Luke. "South Topanga Canyon Boulevard," he whispered. "Milepost 15."

She repeated the address into the phone. "We're up in the Santa Monica mountains somewhere," she added.

"Don't worry, help is on the way. Can you put me on the phone with your friends so I can ask how they are?"

"I can't. We had to walk away from the car to find an area the cell phone would work in. They're down the road somewhere."

"You said we. Is there someone else with you?"

"Yeah, his name is Luke."

"And what's your name?"

She swallowed down bile, wondering if she was going to throw up. "Becky. What's yours?"

"My name is Jarod. You're doing very well, Becky. I want you to put Luke on the line right now."

She handed the phone over to him. "Yeah?" he muttered.

"How are you, Luke? What are your injuries?"

"Well, there are mostly cuts, a really bad one on my left arm. We tried to bandage it up but it's still bleeding."

"Okay. And what about Becky?"

He looked down, seeing her petite form resting tiredly against his good arm. Even with her battered face he thought she looked adorable, and for some reason didn't even care about her blood stains on his jacket. "I'm pretty sure she broke her right wrist, like she said. She's also got some really bad cuts that keep bleeding, on her forehead, neck and shoulder."

"Is she getting drowsy or starting to fall asleep?"

"Yeah, I think so."

"There's a chance she's fading from the adrenaline and the blood loss," Jarod said. "You're going to have to try and keep her awake until the ambulances get there."

"What should I do?"

"Try to get her to talk to you. Keep her talking and aware of her surroundings."

"She was doing fine before," Luke said nervously. "It's just now that she's getting sleepy." He nudged her with his shoulder and felt her nudge him back.

"The adrenaline in her body has probably worn off by now. It would be safest to keep her awake."

"Okay, I'll do that," Luke said, turning slightly to look at her. He gently shook her awake. "Hey, Becky, how are you feeling?"

She groaned, glaring up at him. "I just got into a car accident, walked who knows how far in the cold and you ask me how I'm feeling?"

Luke shrugged slightly. "He said to keep you awake."

"Sorry." She ducked her head, wincing. "My head's throbbing and my wrist hurts. But I think I'll be okay."

"Good," Jarod said into Luke's ear. "Now I want to keep you both on the line. Don't worry, the ambulances should be there soon. What's your favorite junk food?"

For a while they talked about random things with the operator, designed for the sole purpose of keeping them awake until the arrival of the ambulances and rescue vehicles. Soon Becky lifted her head off of Luke's shoulder, looking down the road. "Do you hear that?"

"Yeah. Sounds like sirens." When they saw the red and blue lights they both sighed in relief.

"They're here," she said into the phone. "Thank you for helping us."

"My pleasure. You and your friends will be just fine now. Take care, Becky."

"You too, Jarod." She hung up the phone as the paramedics approached.


	4. Sixteen Candles

A loud, incessant ringing in his ears woke MacGyver and he opened his eyes, blinking first at the phone, then at Nikki fast asleep against him, draped over his leg and hip with her head pillowed on his side. As uncomfortable as the position was, he also had to admit the feeling of her so close beside him was quite...pleasurable.

The phone continued to ring. He reached over to the end table and picked it up. "Hello?"

"Is this Angus MacGyver?" a female voice inquired.

He couldn't help but wince at the sound of his first name. "Speaking."

"This Dr. Pearson, in the Emergency Room at UCLA Medical Center. It's about your niece Rebecca."

"Yeah," he said with a yawn, running a hand through his hair. "Go on." He glanced over at the clock display on the VCR. 2:35 AM.

 _Why is it,_ he wondered, _that these kind of calls always seem to happen so darn early in the morning?_

"She and her friends were involved in a car accident earlier this evening."

Fully alert now, he sat up straighter on the couch, his sudden movements jostling Nikki awake. She looked up at him with an annoyed expression, but a sharp shake of his head quickly silenced any comments. "Is she okay?"

"No serious injuries, but she does have a broken wrist and a few cuts and bruises. We're contacting the other parents as well."

"Thanks for letting me know. I'll be right there." He hung up the phone.

"Mac, what is it?" He turned his head and saw Nikki sitting up and staring at him, worried.

"That was the ER doctor at UCLA Medical Center. Apparently Becky and her friends got into some kind of car accident."

"That's terrible. Is she all right?"

"The doc says it's nothing serious, but she was hurt." He leaned against the back of the couch and sighed, rubbing at his forehead. "Great. I had a feeling somethin' like this would happen tonight."

"I'm sure she'll be fine." She ran her hand up his side in an attempt to comfort him, then stood up, moving to gather her purse and coat. "Come on, let's go get her."

"Nikki, you don't have to come with me," he protested as he followed her, grabbing his leather jacket. "I can pick her up just fine by myself. It's late enough as it is. Go home."

"Not a chance. We'll take my car. Your jeep won't be suitable for this."

"You sure? I mean, you don't have to do this for us."

"MacGyver." She laid a hand on his arm again and her voice turned softer. "Becky's my friend too. You'll need help getting her home. I'm coming with you."

He looked down at her, seeing a mixture of concern and affection in her eyes that touched something deep inside his heart. He finally smiled slightly and nodded. "Then let's go."

* * * *

Nikki guided her car down the darkened city streets, towards the parking lot of UCLA Medical Center. Sitting in the passenger seat, MacGyver regarded the all-too-familiar complex of buildings, remembering several times in the past when Becky and Pete had visited him there after he'd been injured after an adventure. He'd never thought to see Becky wind up here herself, though.

"Hey Mac," Nikki interrupted his thoughts. "We're here." She looked over and briefly touched his arm. "C'mon, let's go inside."

The emergency room was relatively busy for an early Saturday morning, full of police, paramedics and hospital personnel milling around the usual assortment of drunks, addicts, and ordinary accident-prone citizens. Mac and Nikki wove their way through the crowd to the reception area. "Excuse me," he said to the red-haired nurse behind the desk, "but we were told my niece is being treated here. Her name's Rebecca Grahme."

The nurse consulted a chart and nodded. "You can wait for her over with the other parents," indicating a nearby corner. "The doctors should be out shortly to speak to you."

"Thanks." They made their way over to a gathered group of adults, most of whom were still half asleep, judging by their disheveled appearances and the way they slowly sipped at paper coffee cups. The only exception seemed to be a man with a Mediterranean complexion in a business suit, speaking briskly on a cell phone in Greek. Mac idly wondered what time it was in Athens.

They found seats next to a burly, bearded man and his red-haired wife, who somehow looked familiar. He thought a second, then said, "You're Conor and Maureen Lynch, right? Katie's parents. We met at the Fall concert, last year."

The woman's brow furrowed in confusion, then she nodded. "You're MacGyver, Becky's uncle." She turned to her husband. "She's one of Katie's friends- you know, the short one with glasses. They sing in the school choir together. You've seen her over at the house."

"That's her. This is Nikki Carpenter, a friend of ours." They shook hands. "Good to see you again. Wish it was under better circumstances, though."

Conor nodded. "Yeah. So you're her guardian, huh? Some kind of problem-solver at a think tank in Santa Monica, right?"

Mac and Nikki shared a glance. "Something like that."

"I hear them practicing together sometimes when I get home from work. Good voice. Smart kid. Real nice, too. You must be proud of her."

"Yeah, I am. Thanks."

The four sat for a while in silence, then Conor gave a sudden snort. "Kids, huh? As a parent you try to protect them from harm, give them the skills they need to survive this crazy world. But in the end all you can really do is love them no matter what, hope for the best, and trust they can take care of themselves."

He reflected on that for a moment. "I've only been Becky's guardian for a little while, but I know what you mean," he admitted. "Love, hope and trust. That's what they really need from us the most. I just hope I'm doin' right by her."

"You are, Mac." He turned to see Nikki smiling at him, laying a gentle hand on his shoulder.

Ten minutes later a tall African-American woman and a sharp-featured white man in doctor scrubs and long white lab coats walked over to the waiting parents; everyone suddenly sat up straighter, eager for news. "Are you all here because of the car accident? I'm Dr. Pearson and this is Dr. Specter. We're the attendings looking after your kids. They're all fine, mostly broken limbs, cuts and bruising. No life-threatening injuries. You can take them home tonight." There was a collective sigh of relief.

"Are we going to be able to see them anytime soon?" inquired Maureen.

Dr. Pearson nodded. "We'll show you where they're being treated and explain their conditions to each of you separately if you'll please follow us."

The adults followed the doctors out of the room, Mac and Nikki bringing up the rear. Once in the treatment area the crowd of parents separated into two smaller groups, each following the respective physicians treating their offspring.

She gave him a playful nudge as they passed by curtained alcoves. "Feeling any déjà vu yet, Mac?"

"I've probably been here more times in the past few years than any of the other parents have in their entire lives," he whispered back with a wry grin. "Not exactly something to be proud of."

Dr. Pearson motioned them to a niche near the back of the room. "Your niece is right in here, Mr. MacGyver."

"Thanks." They entered to see a very tired-looking Becky sitting on an examining table, legs dangling as a young man in scrubs and shorter white coat sewed tight, neat stitches into a cut on her neck and shoulder. She was pale and bruises randomly decorated her face and arms but otherwise seemed all right.

She looked up and smiled wearily. "Hey."

MacGyver moved closer to her, carefully leaning against the table. "Hey yourself, Becky. How're you doin'?"

"I've had better nights. This is Dr. Ross, he's really good with a needle and thread." The resident looked up and briefly nodded a greeting to Mac and Nikki before continuing his work.

She motioned to her right arm, which was now in a pale blue cast that ended a little below her elbow. "Good thing I'm left-handed, isn't it?"

Mac chuckled, reaching over to gently kiss the left side of her forehead, the right one being covered by a large bandage over the eye. Her glasses were smeared with blood but otherwise undamaged. "Bet this is one birthday you'll never forget, huh?"

A corner of her mouth turned up in a wry grin. "Yeah, but it still doesn't hold a candle to your magic show when I turned eight. Guess your big top-secret plans for today are ruined now, though."

"What plans? You mean my spoiling you, waiting on you hand and foot? Doesn't sound like much of a change to me." He winked, smiling at the pink tint that colored her cheeks.

"What are her injuries?" Nikki asked the resident.

He kept stitching as he answered her question. "She's got a fractured right wrist, a laceration on the right forehead and another on the back of her neck and shoulder. She's on some pretty strong pain pills right now, and Dr. Pearson will have a prescription ready for more if she needs it. She should have a checkup visit with her own doctor in about a week to see how the stitches are healing."

Mac nodded, making a mental note to set an appointment for her to see Dr. Chen at the Foundation.

"Once the cast comes off," the resident continued, "she'll have to have physical therapy in order to regain full use of the wrist. If all goes well it should be completely healed in five to six weeks."

He tied a knot, cut the thread and stepped back. "Be careful washing yourself," he directed Becky. "Try not to get the stitches wet if you can at all help it."

She smiled faintly at the cute young doctor. "I'll do my best."

At that moment Dr. Pearson reappeared. "Has Dr. Ross explained everything to your satisfaction?" Mac and Nikki nodded. "Your x-ray looks good and everything else is taken care of, Miss Grahme, so you're being discharged. But before you can go home the officer needs to get your statement, then there's paperwork to sign."

"All right," she sighed, leaning heavily against MacGyver. "Man, I can't wait for this night to be over."

"Me too, Beck." He kissed the top of her head.

* * * *

Half an hour later the three were walking back through the waiting area, Mac supporting Becky on one side with Nikki on the other, carrying a plastic bag with her belongings. Becky nodded and waved at the rest of her departing friends and their parents; when she saw Luke and Marya leaning against a wall while their father talked to the officer, she realized she was still holding onto his jacket.

"I'll be right back," she told them. They nodded and let her go. "Hi, guys."

Marya smiled faintly. "Hi, Becky."

"Here's your jacket." She handed it to Luke. "Sorry I bled all over it."

He took it with his good arm, the other in a sling. "No problem."

"How are you feeling?"

He shrugged. "Like everyone else. Tired. Hurt like hell."

"How about you, Marya?"

"The same," indicating her own sling. "It's a bad cut, but it'll heal." She shrugged. "At least we'll get out of gym for a while, right?"

"Yeah," Becky chuckled. "I'll see you guys on Monday."

"See you then."

Becky moved away, then paused and returned to Luke, standing up on tiptoe to kiss his cheek. "For what happened back there on the road," she whispered. "Thanks."

He smiled gently. "You're welcome. See you later."

She walked back to where Mac waited. "Nikki's gone to get her car. Ready to go home?"

"Yeah." The world seemed to lurch under her feet and she staggered. "Whoa..."

Mac quickly stepped in, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. "Easy, Becky. I got you. Let's get outta here before you collapse, what do you say?"

The ride home was a blur due to the mixture of tiredness and pain pills. She wasn't even fully conscious of getting into the apartment or going up the stairs, and only dimly aware of settling into bed in clean pajamas with her cast-covered arm propped up on a pillow.

She felt the gentle press of Mac's lips against her forehead. "Glad you're home, sweetheart," he murmured. "Sleep well."

"Thanks." She closed her eyes and let the healing darkness take her away.

* * * *

After he had gotten Becky to sleep MacGyver collapsed on the couch, stretching his long legs on the coffee table. He dropped his head against the back and sighed heavily. "Man, what a night. I said I had a feeling this would happen to her, remember? You gotta wonder."

Nikki joined him. "It wasn't the fault of anyone in the car, though. Didn't you hear what that police officer said? Someone ran them off the road and down into the ditch. The scrapes and paint chips on the back of the car attest to that."

He gave a reluctant shrug. "Yeah, I heard. I know Becky didn't have anything to do with it. But since she moved in with me trouble just seems to follow her around."

"She obviously takes after her uncle then," she quipped. He glared at her. "You know what I mean, Mac. You can't worry about everything. Remember what you said in the waiting room? All you can do is give her your love, hope and trust."

His expression softened. "I do, Nikki. Believe me. She's everything to me now."

"And you should be proud of her. While you were filling out the paperwork I talked with her friend Katie. She told me of how Becky seemed to take charge, getting their friend out of the back of the car, arranging everyone to have first aid. She may not think as fast as you do, but it looks like she can keep a cool head in a crisis."

The corner of Mac's mouth turned up. "Yep, that's my girl. Sounds like her mom's influence, too."

She looked at her watch. "It's almost four and I'm tired. Would you mind if I stayed here for a little while longer?"

"Nope. Make yourself at home..." His voice trailed off as he closed his eyes; Nikki's had already shut and she was fast asleep against his shoulder.

* * * *

Becky was awakened by the sun shining down directly in her eyes from the skylight. She turned a bleary eye over to the display on the clock radio: 1:39 in the afternoon. Pushing herself up with her good arm she shook her head to clear it but then regretted it when the cut on her forehead screamed with pain. She tried to raise her right arm, then felt the heavy cast and another jolt of pain run through her.

She groaned as the memory of the previous night's ordeal came to her and dropped her head back to the pillow, wincing at the tug on the stitches. _Some way to celebrate turning sixteen, huh? Not so sweet after all, I guess._

The door opened and MacGyver poked his head in. "Hey, you're awake. Terrific. How're you feeling?"

She rubbed her good hand across her eyes. "Awful," she muttered. "Like I got hit by a car several times over."

He smirked. "I just bet you do. Mind if I come in?" At her careful nod he stepped inside and moved to the bed. "Ready to sit up now?"

"I think so." She slowly raised her aching body and he shifted the pillows behind her and under her cast, making sure she was properly supported.

"I cleaned your glasses for you," he said, taking them out of their case and handing them to her. "Figured you'd see better without the bloody streaks from last night."

She put them on. "Certainly an improvement." She blinked up at his ruggedly handsome features. "Thanks, Unc."

"My pleasure, Beck." His smile was tender as he pushed hair away from her forehead and kissed her before gingerly sitting on the bed. "Glad you're feeling better. What do you remember about last night?"

Her brow furrowed. "Driving home in the mountains. A car, suddenly appearing behind us from out of nowhere. Waking up and getting out of the wreck of Donnie's car with everyone else, walking with Luke to find a place to call 911 on his cell phone, then the ambulance and the ER."

"That sounds about right. The police showed us pictures of the wreck, looks pretty mangled. It was a wonder no one was seriously hurt."

"Yeah, but Donnie's gonna want to kill someone over that car. Her parents just gave it to her last month. Can't imagine what that will do to their insurance premiums, since she's under their coverage."

"She shouldn't worry about it. Since it wasn't her fault insurance will total it and pay them the money. Then they can buy her another one."

"That's good." She shifted in her seat, grumbling at the pain.

"Still hurts, huh? Want me to kiss it better?"

She smiled faintly. "You already have. Where are the pain meds?"

"They're downstairs. You can't take them on an empty stomach, though. Feel up to eating something?"

She considered for a moment. "Actually, food sounds good right now. Yeah."

"Great. Just give me a sec." He rose from the bed and stepped into the hallway. After some mysterious noises he reappeared with a tray holding white tablets in a small dish, two forks and a napkin, a glass of orange juice with a flexible straw and a plate with a large slice of chocolate cake.

Stuck in the chocolate frosting was one lighted candle, its flame burning brightly.

"For the- belated- birthday girl," he said with a bright grin, setting the tray on the bed before sitting himself. "I know it's not the full sixteen, but there wasn't any room for the rest."

Becky raised her eyebrow, wincing at the movement. "Cake for breakfast, Unc? Really?"

"Why not? It's got milk, eggs, wheat. Lots of chocolate. All essential parts of a teenager's diet." He winked and she giggled despite herself. "I planned to surprise you with the whole cake after dinner tonight, but figured you needed a little pick-me-up now after everything that's happened." He held the plate up to her. "Blow out the candle, please?"

She grinned at him and complied. Mac cheered, then handed her a fork. She cut off a piece, then chewed, closing her eyes in pleasure. "Mmm, delicious." She washed it down with a sip of juice and one of the pain pills.

"Thanks. Made it myself. Nikki helped, too." He leaned forward, picked up his own fork and helped himself to the cake.

"Is she still here?"

"Nah, left a couple hours ago. Wanted me to wish you good luck on a speedy recovery."

"I wasn't imagining then that she was at the hospital with us, was I? Does that mean you two were sleeping together when the doctor called?"

"Well, we didn't exactly sleep together in bed, if that's what you mean. Just on the couch..." Then he caught the mischievous- even hopeful- look on her face and rolled his eyes. "Oh, you."

Becky grinned. "Yeah, me. I like Nikki."

"Me too, even though she drives me up the wall sometimes with her bullheadedness. I do care for her. But not," holding up a finger, "in a romantic way, in case you're gettin' any ideas about her becoming your aunt anytime soon. Now let's finish this cake."

She smirked as she picked up another piece with her fork. _Maybe someday_ , she thought.

"Speaking of romance, Beck, what was that kiss about?"

She looked up, startled. "What kiss?"

"You know, the one you gave that boy on the cheek last night. Luke, isn't that his name?"

"Oh, yeah. That. Just something that sorta happened when we were looking for a place to call 911."

He cocked his head. "Anything I need to worry about?"

"He kissed me. That's all. No need to start acting parental over it."

"If you say so." He smirked and she rolled her eyes. They continued sharing the slice in silence until the plate and juice glass were both empty.

Once the medicine started kicking in she uttered a huge yawn. "Sorry I'm not better company."

"Hey, no problem. We're sharing your special day together, right? That's all that matters. Did you make a wish?"

"Yeah. I wished you were sitting here beside me, so I could rest in your arms. Do you think you could make it come true?"

He smiled warmly. "You bet." He picked up the tray and set it on the desk beside the window, taking off his shoes and settling himself beside her on her left side. His arm curved around her as she leaned against him and rested her head on his chest. "That better?"

"Yeah, it is. But..." She hesitated, biting her lip.

"C'mon, out with it. What do you need?"

"Could you read to me from one of the books you gave me yesterday?" She nodded over at the stack on her bedside table. "The one on the top will be fine."

"Your wish is my command." He reached for the paperback with his free hand and began reading. She sighed softly in contentment, lulled by his smooth voice and warm, comforting presence into another deep, healing sleep. She couldn't imagine a better ending to what certainly was one of the most memorable birthdays ever.

* * * *

Mac felt Becky relax further against him and smiled. Once he was sure of her deep, even breathing, he set the book aside and carefully settled himself more comfortably against the pillows. He gently stroked her hair, grateful her injuries hadn't been more serious.

Time was flying by so fast now, he reflected; already his little girl was sixteen, and rapidly becoming a young woman. Over a year had passed since losing Allison and the others and much had already happened, yet at the same time it seemed like only yesterday when he had become her guardian. He was sure there would be even more challenges and adventures yet to come in the next few years for them both, but despite all the twists and turns there was one thing they could always count on, and that was each other.

"Happy birthday, sweetheart," he whispered, dropping a kiss on top of her head before closing his eyes.

\--The End--


End file.
